The Hunger Games
by Draco Malfoy is Blonde
Summary: The final battle is lost and the tryanical Lord Voldemort has overtaken all of Britian. Renaming this new magical country Panem and hiding it from muggles, and to remind the witches and wizards of the sacrifice an uprising will cost them, an annual Hunger Games will be held. The winner will have riches, fame, a safe life and their wand back, the losers all die. Next Gen.
1. Prologue

_Hello readers! This is a Harry Potter-Hunger Games crossover fic. I'm trying to stay as true as possible to both stories - setting myself a challenge, or at least do them both justice. This story takes the characters of Harry Potter and puts them in the setting of Hunger Games, hopefully in an entertaining way. I'm hoping to replicate the story telling technique of Suzanne Collins, so first person, but the point of view will change between characters a little._

 _Hope you enjoy;_

 _Disclaimer; This story is for entertainment purposes only; the characters, settings and concepts are not my own but taken from Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling and The Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins, I thank them for allwoing us to use their property._

 **PROLOGUE**

That hated old woman was smiling like this would be a treat - 'hem hem' she cleared her throat, the bright pink bow wobbling dangerously on her short curled hair. She still looked like a wrinkled old toad. Dressed head to foot in ridiculous gaudy pink wool.

"To remind you all of the sacrifice you made to fight our Lord each year a boy and girl between the ages of 11 and 17 will be selected as tributes, for the honor of fighting to the death in the annual hunger games!" She reminded them deliberately, slowly. Delighted.

I remember the first games - it wasn't what we thought. That final battle o the grounds of Hogwarts was all Voldemort needed to become the true owner of the elder wand and the master of death. He bound us all, took us away, chained us, beat us. He killed or enslaved all the Muggles in England and set up his very own country - Panem, he called it.

We were split into groups, whoever were left, enough to create a settlement and made to settle within large fences - they were called districts, numbered 1 to 12 and guarded by death eaters at all times.

There were twelve districts, Voldemort told each what he wanted from them and supposedly gave them the supplies to do it and now they have their daily quota, to keep Voldemort and the worthy purebloods fed and happy.

District 12, where I had ended up, mined coal; without magic. Coal to power the great steam factories in the other district that produced food, potions, wands, weapons and robes. Coal that powered the nation they said, coal to run the machines that filmed the Hunger Games for all to see.

Now, it was 22 years after the war, everyone in this poor, starving district had been made to gather in the square for the reaping, Delores Umbridge stood on a stage next to Malfoy - the mayor of the district - two large glass balls with hundreds of slips with the names of every child in the district between the ages of 11 and 17 were in there, boys and girls, the boys and girls themselves lined up in year groups in the center of the square, the young and the old watching over them nervously. I refolded the piece of parchment in my hand again and again, terrified, because this would be the first year both my kids had their name in.

Umbridge smiled again and dug her pudgy fingers into the girls bowl, scraping around for a slip of paper. She pulled it out, licked her lips and smiled, then read, "Lily Potter."

I felt sick at the relief that washed through me before I felt disgusted with myself then just as panicked - my little niece, only 11 years old - but the feeling only lasted for a moment, until an all too familliar voice called; "I volunteer as tribute!"

"Rosie," I heard Harry mutter, someone grabbed me before I could even register that I'd tried to fight my way to my little girl. Hugo had tried to run up on stage and was caught by James, pulling him back into line before the death eaters had a chance to get there.

"No, no, no, no Rosie," I begged, pleaded, my daughter stood on the stage next to that old toad of a woman looking terrified and white as a sheet, only a baby - she was only 14.

"Rosie," Umbridge said, echoing my plea, a crule smile on her face "A volunteer, very brave, very fitting of a Weasley." She muttered. Rose looked between Umbridge and me.

"Lily's too little," Rose said thickly, "my baby cousin."

"Rose Weasley, isn't it?" Umbridge asked her.

"Rose Weasley." She muttered. Umbridge smiled, "Well Rose you should be honored, this district has never had a volunteer before."

Rose nodded.

I felt like I was watching from far away, something pretend or I was asleep and this was a horrible nightmare as Umbridge moved to the next reaping ball, she dug her pudgy fist about in the glass for a moment before drawing another name.

"Hem-hem," She cleared her throat, clearly enjoying the anxiety of everyone in District twelve. "Scorpius Malfoy." She finally said.

My heart sank as the seventeen year old blonde went to the stage, looking shaken but strong; even if our district had a victor - could it be Rosie when she was still so little, besides it was well known these games were not fair - muggleborns died first. I feared my Rose didn't stand a chance.

It was not a coincidence that Lily was reaped as soon as she was old enough for it, it was not a coincidence that her competitor was going to be the 17 year old Malfoy boy, the Malfoy's still had something to prove after all - Voldemort was crule, he had won and he was never ever going to let us forget it. He didn't count on my daughter jumping in to save her cousin.

"Happy Hunger Games!" Umbridge cried, delighted, "and may the odds be ever in your favour!"

We were shuffled along, in one heartbeat I woke from the shock of having my daughter reaped and in the next heartbeat I had an armful of my baby boy.

"Hugo," I whispered, being guided towards the justice building by death eaters.

"We have to say goodbye, Daddy." He told me.

Harry and Ginny caught up to me and Hugo, James, Albus and Lily looking close to tears.

"I'm sorry Uncle Ron!" She finally wailed, hiding her face in Ginny's long hair. I shook my head, putting a hand on the back of her head in what I hoped was a comforting manner but words were still beyond me at this point. We climbed the stairs to the justice building and were led inside; the halls were grand and lavish, a far cry from the seam - the place were the half bloods and muggleborns lived. The carpets were a rich red and the white stone was rough but clean, where in the rest of the district nothing was white from the coal dust.

I was lead to a door, Harry and Ginny hung back, and he carried Hugo to see his daugheter.

Rose had always been slight, her hair bushy like her mothers had been but the same deep red as his own, her hazel eyes large and now wide with fear. Her clothes hung off her - dress robes which had been Hermiones, worn only for the reapings now, were too big on her starved frame. Life in 12 was not a good one.

"You brave, brave little girl," was all I could manage, dropping to my knees and pulling her towards me, Hugo wedged between us. She was crying shaking her head.

"Not Lily, shes only a baby, she's Hugo's age - it was her first reaping Dad she only had one slip!" Ron didn't know what to say, what could he say? He didn't want to tell her she'd done the right thing becasue she hadn't. Rose's life was no less valuable than Lily's, she was too kind.

"You were brave," Ron said, "And you're kind and you're as brilliant as your mother was, Rose if anyone can do this it's you, I know you can." I told her, overcome with the need to know that there was still a little hope. "Come back." I begged her, becasue I couldn't lose her.

"I'll try dad." She said, Hugo was clinging to her, and I jnew I had to stay strong for her. If this was my last moment with my daughter I wanted it to be as happy for her as I could.

"I love you Rosie," He said and she nodded, giving him another hug.

"Love you too Rosie!" Hugo insisted, then the door opened and the Potters came in.

Harry had always been small, but since the end of the war he never ate much and hardly slept, he looked much older than he was, Ginny had lost everything about her that he loved most about his sister, her fight, her strength and her fun, though most people now were only shells of themselves.

Their kids, born to this world, fared better - still dangerously thin and on the small side James was at least taller than Harry, his glasses had been taped in the middle since he was a little boy he had Ginny's blue eyes and Harry's dark hair, though it usually sat flat. Albus looked very simmilar to his big brother, but for his green eyes and unruly hair, and Lily was the picture of her namesake, her hair was not weasly red, but the orange of Lily Potter, her eyes green like his, only the smattering of freckles across her nose was any indication her mother was a Weasley.

"Rosie!" Lily said, running for the older girl, they were as close as sisters, and my heart ached as Rose scooped up the younger girl and tried to soothe her.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry," Lily said and Rose tried to calm her, tell her it was not her fault. Ginny took Lily, and gave Rose a kiss on the cheek and her luck, Harry held my daughters shoulders and told her that he owed her his daughters life, and she would make it back, becasue good people won, sometimes.

I didn't know what to make of that, good or bad had nothing to do with the games - it was luck or strength and showmanship. Rose was smart, as smart as Hermione.

I stayed in the room as some of Rosie's friends came to see her, and then the tiem was up, I got one last kiss and cuddle and then the death eaters marched my daughter to the train. The next time I would see her she'd be paraded through the capitol.

* * *

 _A note on dates and ages._

 _So, in cannon, James is two years older than Albus, who is two years older than Lily._ _Albus, Scorpius and Rose are the same age and Lily and Hugo are the same age. 22 years after the final battle we are in 2020, Harry and Ron are both 40 years old. Albus and Rose are their 'cannon' age at this point._

 _In this story I've changed the age gap a little, Scorpius is the biggest divergence. Hugo and Lily are 11, Albus and Rose are 14, James is 16 and Scorpius 17. I have reasons for this and justifications for this, which I will explain in later chapters, as well as having a look at their past and how we went from Hogwarts to Panem._

 _Thank-you all for reading._


	2. The Hogwarts Express

**CHAPTER ONE**

 _The Hogwarts Express_

* * *

My mother said that the scarlette steam engine that conected the districts to the capitol was a mockery on what once was. The Hogwarts Express still took my breath away, it was beyond anything I'd seen before, you couldn't see the supply train from the district.

Malfoy and I were marched onto the train by the death eaters, it was finer than anything I'd ever seen. Unbridge, the Senior Undersecretary to the minister didn't stay - she had other places to be and apparated from the station with her mean little smile. We were left alone.

I looked at Malfoy, he was tall but still thin, but not unhealthiy so, not like James was. And he was handsome, very handsome but I already knew that much, the whole district thought the mayor's son was very handsome. The mayor's son was a spitting image of his father, but where the Mayor slicked his hair back Scorpius wore it lose, he smiled more freely, his face was slightly less pointed.

"What?" He asked, I startled. I'd been staring and him and now I felt my cheeks go red.

"What do we do now?" I asked, the train appeared to be empty, but a tall woman dressed all in white came to us then, her hair was grey but as bushy and flyaway as mine, her eyes the same rich brown colour.

The woman looked like my mother.

My mouth was hanging open, even Malfoy had gone quiet staring between us. The old woman smiled and gestured for us to go through a door and I wordlessly pushed it open.

The room beyond was a dining car, with a table filled with foods. But I sighed in relief at seeing someone who might explain what was going on.

District 12 had only one victor - one more than most other districts, Tristan Longbottom was a very tall, broad shouldered boy with dark hair and dark eyes. He was four years older than me, and he was the victor of the 19th hunger games.

"H-hi." I said, shocked by how weak my voice sounded, he gave me a brief smile. Since He'd won he'd moved to victors village by himself. His father had died the same time my mother had and his mother had been driven mad by the war, even madder since her son was reaped. She lived in town, a woman hired as a nurse to care for her.

I knew my parents had been friends with his father.

"Hello Rose," Tristan replied, his eyes then flicked up to Malfoy. "Scorpius."

"That woman, muggle isn't she?" Malfoy asked.

"Muggles are used as servants in the Capitol," Tristan said. "They cannot speak but will get you anything you ask for. That woman is called Jane Granger."

It felt as though my throat closed up - I'd been right. That woman had looked too much like my mother to be anyone but my grandmother, but I didn't dare say anything here. I felt Tristan had given me her full name because he understood.

"So what now?" Malfoy asked, Tristan gestured for us to sit at the table and I cautiously took a seat.

"Like a Weasley Sunday dinner," I muttered, looking at the table laden with food, I'd never seen so much in my life, and the Capitol had spared no expense. There were hearty Shepard pies and beef Wellington, roast pheasant and lamb casserole, whole plates of vegetables cooked in rosemary and thyme. There were crockpots of warm pumpkin soup and creamy pastas, plates of creamy rice risottos and kettles of warm tea and sugar and cream, fizzy drinks and milk and juice as well.

"A welcoming feast," Tristan corrected me, "reminisce of the feast held at the first night back at Hogwarts, eat slowly, the food is very rich."

I loaded my plate as the others sat in stony silence, finally, it seemed after a good fourty minutes the food disappeared and was replaced by stacks of rich desserts.

"People are starving in the district." Malfoy pointed out, his accusing tone halted my eagerness. Guilt suddenly tore me apart.

"Not eating here will not help them." Tristan muttered.

"Are you going to help us or not?" Malfoy asked. The silence between them was making me very nervous. Tristan, as a past victor was here to mentor us, to help us win.

I'd almost forgot where this train was going.

"What are your skills then," Tristan asked Malfoy, who looked a little taken aback. Tristan for the first time since I met him wore an expression that suggested he was less than impressed. "I need to start somewhere. What are your hobbies?"

"Politics," Malfoy bit back, "My father is the mayor, I learned what was relevant." Tristan sneered and Malfoy sneered right back, I didn't want them to fight so spoke up.

"You help to unload the supply train don't you? I've seen you carrying the boxes." I pointed out, "you're strong." I added. "You're also very good at getting people to like you," I also pointed out, because everyone knew Scorpius Malfoy and everyone knew how kind he is. Scorpius' scowl faded.

"That's still not much." He pointed out. I could only shrug. He was better off than me.

"Any skill with any weapons?" Tristan tried. Weapons weren't strictly allowed in the districts, but it's not unheard of for people to play fight with sticks as children and be able to use a sword very well in the games.

"Not really, I used to play a game in the yard when I was younger, I painted a target and would throw rocks, its been years though." Scorpius admitted. "Maybe focus on ranged weapons."

"Its somehting." Tristan agreed, then turned to me.

I bit my lip. "Dad said I'm clever enough to win this." I told him and he nodded though didn't look impressed. I wouldn't be either, I was scrawny and weak, and only 14. But I had skills. I didn't know if I should say or not.

"I can feed myself." I added, "from plants and things." Tristan nodded.

"Thats very useful, survival skills." He said - I remembered from his games that his knowledge of herbology and plant life was what let him win.

"I can fight too," I admitted, "I mean, I get into fights at school, but I win as many as I don't. I also -" I paused, looking around nervously. "I remember what my mum taught me." Rose said, she didn't mention her dad was still teaching her.

"Thats somehting too." Tristan said kindly. Then he stood.

"Get some sleep, you've been through enough toight, tomorrow we'll see the recap and the day after we'll be back in the capitol. In the capitol." Tristan stood and left us, and Malfoy stood as well.

"Come on, little red." Scorpius said in a tone so gentle it surprised me. He smiled at me which calmed my nerves, surprisingly. Up until my bedroom door closed behind me and I remembered if I lived through this the kind older boy would die.

Dear Merlin.


	3. The Reaping Recap

**Chapter Two**

 _The Reaping Recap_

* * *

I overslept the next morning and still managed to not have enough sleep. I'd been unable to fall asleep until the very early hours of the morning and as a reslut didn't wake up until Umbridge was banging on my door becasue the reaping re-cap was mandatory viewing. Like everyhting in the capitol they began at district one and worked their way down.

The district one male was a voluenteer, a legacy tribute (his father won the third games) and the grandson of Rabastain Lestrange. He was strong, and taller than even my dad though not as broad. His hair was black and cut very short, his eyes were black and his jaw strong. He was actually a very handsome looking boy but for the evident madness shining behind his eyes. He was confident and powerful, 17 years old and actually terrified me. Marzell Lestrange.

The district one female was a volunteer too, but not a legacy, Geena Avery had dark hair and pale skin, she looked a bit gaunt actually, but smiled as she voluenteered all the same. The crowds cheered their Tributes as Peter Pettigrew - the district 1 escort - had introduced them. District one had won more games than any other district, they had ten victors, all pureblood and all trained by the capitol in both combat and magic becasue district one was where most of the death eaters came from. Most were descendants of the sacred 28 and they relished the games.

District two tributes were both huge, the boy - Robert Bullstrode - was built like an ox, with very little neck and thick brown hair. He wore a singlet top, which allowed everyone to see his arms which each looked as thick as my whole body and as though they would pop if you poked him with a sharp object, to everyones suprise, the female tribute for two was also a voluenteer - his twin sister, and she was just as large and possibly more menacing. Robert and Harper Bullstrode.

District three tributes were not voluenteers - no one had ever volenteered for district three and they only had a single victor - like 12. The boy was only 11, the youngest in the competition, he had dark skin and dark curly hair, named Isiah Thomas. The girl tribute was 16 years old, her hair was red and she was tall and lanky with a long pointed nose. "Molly Weasley" the anouncer had said and the whole room went quiet to look at me.

"My father had five older brothers who all went to different districts." I said by way of explination I wasn't the first Weasley to be reaped.

District four was the fishing district, and every year their tributes were strong and deadly and always made it to the final seven but none ever won. This year was no different, one voluenteered, he was 17 years old and had golden blonde hair and warm golden skin, he wasn't particularly attractive, and had a mean smile. The girl was extremely tall with short sandy blonde hair and tan skin, she wasn't a volenteer but she was 17, and she didn't seem unhappy about being raped.

I sat back in my chair as the next district was shown, district five, the wandmaking district. The girl was only 12 and she was so so small for her age, she looked fragile, sick even. Her hair was white blonde and her blue eyes wide and glassy. Her name was Unice, and I heard Tristan suck in a breath when her name was called. "A friend of mine knows her," He said by way of explaining himself. The boy was also blonde though he had more of an ash blonde hue to his hair and cried when his name was called - which was never a good thing. I dind't really pay attention to the other tributes though I know I should be studying the competition, what did sink in were the number of legacy tributes - tributes who were the children or siblings of victors. There was a dark skinned boy from six with an extremely handsome smile who was the younger brother of the victor from the 6th games and the male tribute from ten was the son of the first ever victor.

Our own district also caught my interest, to see my self on the television was somehting I don't think I would ever get used to, it showed the reaction of Lily to my voluenteering, it even for a brief moment showed my father's face as he tried to get to me. For the first time I saw how Scorpius reacted to his own reaping, not paying attention at the time and I was surpried by the indifference shown on his face, perhaps the barest hint of sadness, the mayor, known for his trademark sneer expressed more emotion in that he actually cried for his son.

"Well good." Umbridge said, "Personally I'm excited to see how Marzell does."

Tristan was glaring at her with the uptmost hatred. "Get out Delores. We'll see you tomorrow to show them to the remake center."

Umridge looked offronted but left none the same. Tristan stood.

"Lunch will be serevd in the dining car at one and I'll be around if you want to talk. I think we're stopping to refuel thisafternoon and tomorrow morning you will go straight to the remake center from the train." He said. I nodded, it seemed I'd have the afternoon to myself which was both a relief and a daunting prospect - I was ready to just get the whole thing over with. Now I didn't know what I should do with myself. I settled back on the lounge in the now empty viewing car as the screen panned out and showed the stage in the capitol where Rita Skeeter sat perched in her acid green robes, her hair an unnatural, canary yellow and her long talon like fingernails painted a garish red, next to her was the much younger Gabrielle Delacour her hair silver and her smile bright.

"Right then my lovely audience what do we think of this years tributes?" She asked with a biting smile as the capitol audience all rose off their feet to cheer. Gabrielle laughed.

"So many Legacy tributes!" She exclaimed to more applause.

"Yes, yes, surely that sucess all runs in the family, I think we can expect this years games to be very interesting, plus we have two Weasleys! They seem to be everywhere!"

"Cousin on cousin and a brother and sister too!" Gabrielle exclaimed, reminding Rita of the twins.

"This years game seemed to be themed on family. What about Rose Weasley bravey voluenteering for the little Potter girl?" Rita commented and I was taken of gaurd by my face again flashing across the screen. I jabbed the remote to turn the programme off - I didn't need to see it again. But I still had most of the day to kill before I could go back to bed.

The door to the cart slid open and Scorpius came in and sat down.

"So what do you think?" Scorpius asked me and I shrugged. I wasn't even sure what he was asking me, did he want to know who I thought would win, or maybe who I thought would kill me.

"Marzell frightenes me." I admitted, even though I had no intention of it.

"He's a cousin of mine," Scorpius admitted. "Far removed, through the Black line. All the pureblood families are related somehow."

I didn't know what to say to that, even so there were lots of people now who'd claim to have a name just so they could claim their blood was more pure than it really was. My father had told me the purebloods were a dying race - there was no way there were as many as everyone claimed - she'd heard the capitol was full of purebloods, people who claimed to have the names of Slytherin and Gryfindor, De Fay and even the line of Merlin - as well as linages which everyone had known were extinct - like her grandmothers maiden name Prewett which had poped up three years ago belonging to a tribute from 4.

"I'm going to see if lunch is ready." I said some time later- we'd been sitting in an uncomfortable silence, Scorpius had smiled.

"Okay then Little Red," He told me, using the strange nickname again and I left the viewing car with more questions than before with no real appetite even though lunch had been served in the dining car. I went straight to my little room at the end of the train.

* * *

 _Thanks again for reading if you are reading this, reviews are very much appreciated._

 _For your convenience, here's a list of the named tributes and their districts._

1\. Marzelle Lestrange and Geena Avery

2\. Robert and Harper Bullstrode

3\. Molly Weasley and Isiah Thomas

4\. Dax Carrow and Eli Travers

5\. Unice

6\. Legacy Boy

10\. Legacy Boy

12\. Rose Weasley and Scorpius Malfoy


	4. The Chariot Race

_Heed the rating for this chapter. Trigger warning. Mild violence._

* * *

 **CHAPTER FOUR**

 _The Chariot Races_

* * *

The opening ceremony of the Hunger Games is mandatory viewing, like the reaping recap and daily broadcasts. After spending all day at school I wan't complaining about being in the town square, and neither was Uncle Ron who was covered head to toe in coal dust but for the rivers of sweat on his forhead that had cut through the grime. It was still warm outside, but the sun was slowly going down. The big purpose provided screen in the square flickered to life and the dark mark symbol - the symbol of Panem - was shown before the main stage could be seen on the screen with Rita Skeeter and Gabrielle Delacour.

"Your father saved that woman's life once," My mother told me, talkng about Gabrielle. The thought of my broken little father anywhere but in district 12 didn't really sit with me. I was standing with my family, including Uncle Ron and Hugo. Dad wasn't looking at the screen - he never did. My mother would watch with a stubborn look in her eyes and a sort of mild detachment. My little brother Albus always told me he wanted to watch, but I always covered his and Lily's eyes. Albus had always been sensitive to the deaths, and in my mind Lily was just too little, though it had almost been her in there this year.

The announceres were having a great old time but soon there was a wide shot of the remake center, the door opened and district one's carriages came hurtling out of the doors.

My mother knew everyone and everything. She said Marzell Lestrange - the huge boy from one, was the grandson of one of the death eaters of the first war - Rabastain Lestrange. That his brother Rodolphus had been married to Bellatrix Lestrange - that my grandmother had killed Bellatrix Lestrange. This was of course before she was publiclically executed for treason at the very end of the second war. Even so it didn't sit well with me that Grandma Molly had murdered someone.

District one trained death eaters - The Dark Lord's loyal servants - and their carriage was the shape of a green skull, pulled by black horses. The tributes were dressed in revealing leather battle outfits with black capes that flew behind them and made them look very menacing indeed.

The Bulstrode twins mother had once put Aunt Hermione in a headlock, my mother tells me when the next carriage come out. The twins were huge, dressed sparingly in grey tatters of materials and also covered in what looked like stone dust - district two were stoneminers, but they also manufactured and teasted weapons so their tributes tended to have a combat advantage.

District three made potions. And their tributed this year allowed my mother to talk the whole time they were on screen. Their costumes were bubbles, of all different colours, floating away and being replaced, always moving, and shimmering smoke which poured from their feet and left a short trail behind the carriage.

"Molly is of course named after your grandmother." My mother was saying, "I think she's Percy's daughter -" Here Ginny looked to Ron.

"Percy went to three," Uncle Ron confirmed. Uncle Ron seemed to always remember where everyone was - my mother asked him a lot.

"And Isiah must be Dean's son, Dean was an ex boyfriend of mine, your Uncle got so mad - and he shared a dorm with them."

Everyone else in the group was quiet. I knew it was how she coped with what she was seeing - to talk about the past, before Panem, but I don't think it helped anyone else.

Distric four was the fishing district, and the tributes were dressed in scales and nets, and my mother told me they were the children or grandchildren of death eaters in the second war. Ginny Potter was always unbothered when the children of the old death eaters were killed - but they were all just children to me. I'm sure if and when I'm reaped I'll be judged for being the son of Harry Potter.

District five were the wandmaking district, and the girl had really stood out at the reapings as well - not just becasue my mother went on about how she was the granddaughter of Garric Olivander who'd had a part to play in the daring advantures of my father in the second war too, but becasue her eyes were both bright and cloudy, I found them mesmerising, but the look of her - she looked unwell, beyond just starving to death like we were in twelve.

District six always were favourites in the parade. Transportation. It was often their carriage was a minature of the Hogwarts express or a flying carpet, this year the tributes flew out on broomsticks, dressed in green and red.

"Like the Ireland versus Bulgaria World cup," My father commented, I was shocked he was looking at the screen now, perhaps the first time since I was born at least, Uncle Ron just nodded.

My mother were saying how Ramsay Shacklebolt must be Kingsley's grandson but she had nothing to say about the girl, Thera Rowle.

Dianne Avery and Jasper Greengrass of district seven came out dressed as trees - they often did. Neither looked particularly impressed with the unorigonal costume design, Ginny got to comment about how there were two Avery girls from different districts and how Jasper would be Scorpius' cousin before the camera flicked away to show that Thera Rowle had fallen off her broomstick. She looked like she was very seriously injured but you could still hear the capitol crowds chering wildly and laughing.

Roe Blishwick and Scott Brown of district eight were shown next, dressed in strategically placed pieces of fabric, their designer could be heard talking about how the costumes were made from fabric made for use in each of the district's main professional uniforms (death eater cloaks for one, mining overalls for 2 and 12 ect.) My mother was again saying how "Scott must be Lavender's son, you know your father used to date his mother, Hugo."

"Lavender died in the final battle, Ginny." Uncle Ron said and my mother seemed to ignore him, but didn't say any more about Scott.

There were only a few more districts to go. The waiting was making me anxious - we all wanted to see Rose again, none more so than Lily who still seemed to think it was her fault that she was reaped. District nine were the grain district, and Tyrell Crouch and Esme Tripe were both dressed as some kind of plant - "Do you think he's related to Barty Crouch?" My mother was asking.

District 10 came out riding Hyppogryffs, which gave my mother lots to talk about as my father had once ridden a Hyppogryff. And the tribute riding the hypogryff was Lysander Scamander, who was Luna Lovegood's oldest son, and Luna was a friend of my mother's and the first ever victor. Poor little Addison Burke was forgotten by the cameras in the wake of Lysander, who was very striking in appeance and looked very down to earth considering what I knew second hand of his mother.

The district 11 tributes were dressed in fruit embellished dancing costumes, the boy wore a frilly shirt while the girl had a big frilly skirt and a hat made of all different kinds of fruit. My mother had nothing to say about Cisero Urquart but my father calmy said Eos Peverell must be lying about his name becasue the Peverell line had died out years and years ago.

Finally, it was our districts turn and we would see Rose again. Albus was holding my hand with so much strength it hurt - and surprised me becasue I'd never pinned him as being very strong. Lily was clinging to our mother, Dad was looking away.

I chanced a sideways glance at Uncle Ron and Hugo. Hugo was hiding his face in his father's side, Uncle Ron seemed to have stopped breathing, tears were cutting clean tacks in the coal dust on his face.

Rose Weasley and Scorpius Malfoy were standing side by side. Scorpius was dressed exactly as Uncle Ron, down to the coal dust on his face and in his hair. Rose was wearing her reaping dress - the too big old dress robes that used to be Aunt Hermione's. They'd been altered and seemed to show all the more how starved Rosie had been.

The crowd seelemd confused, and Scorpius reached for Rose's hand and she took it, then he scooped her up onto his shoulders - showing immense strenght on his part and Rose laughed and spread her arms wide, then the crowd exploded in cheers.

I breathed out, it seemed as though I'd forgotten how to breathe while watching my baby cousin be paraded around like some kind of prize meat.

"Dad?" Hugo asked Uncle Ron who appeared to be shaking.

I looked to my parents who stood back to let the man break down alone. I hated the stories my mother told about the past becasue they didn't match the two people I knew to be my parents.

"She's okay," I said to Uncle Ron, grabbing his shoulder. "She's okay and happy right now and Scorpius will look after her. He's a good guy."

Uncle Ron nodded, making eye contact with me for a minute before looking towards Harry. They'd been best friends, once, if you believed the stories, but now they'd say a handful of sentances to each other every other week.

"Thanks James," Uncle Ron muttered.

Then there was a scream, I jumped to grab Albus and Uncle Ron reached for a wand that had been taken away from him a long time ago. There was a bang and the screen went blank, even though technically mandatory veiwing was still on, then a blonde haired woman jumped from the top of the screen, being caught around the neck by a rope in front of the monstrous thing and the rope snapped taught, her body went limp.

"Astoria!" The mayor cried as death eaters swelled around us all, we were marched away, I had a brief glimpse of a death eater cursing the mayor on the stage then the square was out of sight.

I dragged Albus back to our house with Uncle Ron and Hugo, Mum, Dad and Lily not knowing what to think of everthing that had happened today. The tribute parade, Rosie's odd costume and Scorpius' odd behaviour, and then Astoria Malfoy publically killing herself. What was happening?


	5. The Training Center

**CHAPTER FIVE**

 _The Training Center_

* * *

The feeling I'd had riding that chariot in front of all thoes people was incomaprable. It left me feeling happy and for the first night since I voulenteered for this hell I had a good nights sleep. I woke in time for breakfast and was even there before Scorpius and Tristan. Tristan came out first, shortly followed by Scorpius, and once we had all served ourselves and began eating Tristan began his mentoring.

"Training center today." He said, then he looked at Scorpius. "Practice with ranged weapons, as many as you can, whatever's easiest practice more with but don't show how good you are. Okay?" Scorpius nodded. "There will be a station that allows you to practice spells. Make sure you both learn the sheild charm, Portego, as well as the general healing charm and the stunning curse. The tributes from one are fully trained wizards. Sometimes the tributes from five know how to use magic too."

Trisan then turned to me. "I want you to look at the survival skills station, look at what plants they have there see if we can't find out any clues about the arena this year. If you get bored, swap. Rose, go try as many weapons as you can, Scorpius, have a look at edible plants. And pracice the magic while you have the chance."

Then Umbridge was knocking on the door to our rooms " _Hem-hem"_ and we were being led into the elevator. As we were from district 12 we were on the 12th floor and the elevator ride was long but finally we entered the training gymnasium, a huge open room with a vaulted ceiling and a gathering of Death Eaters and game makers looking out over the stations.

Scorpius grabbed my hand.

"Ready for this, little red?" He asked me and I couldn't help but smile.

"No?"

Scorpius laughed and we entered the room like that - together and smiling, the looks the other tributes gave us as we entered was a suspicious one, and made us both smile even brighter.

"Hello all," Scoprius said, then led me over to the survival skills station. "Show me what you know then, little red."

I smiled, Tristan had told us what to do but Scorpius seemed to want to stick together and I was fine with that so I looked at the table full of very familliar plants.

"These are from 12." I said quietly, there were a few strange ones but most I knew already. I made quick work of the station activity then began teaching Scorpius.

Lunch was served in the middle of the day on a table long enough to hold all the tributes. Scorpius seemd intent on making friends and was talking to anyone who would listen to him, offering up smiles and laughter. I was certain a group of children destined for death shouldn't be so jovial.

"Hello Rose." I turned to see hair red to match my own, the same pointed nose and dusting of freckles.

"Molly." I mumbled, offering my cousin a smile.

"You're Ron's daughter." She said, and I nodded. "Uncle Ron, I guess. I'm Percy's daughter."

"Ive heard about Uncle Percy from Aunt Ginny." I told her, and just like that we got talking about our families.

"Isiah!" Molly called and the little dark skinned boy came over to us. I liked Molly very much, she was clever and had a very no nonsence attitude. "Isiah this is Rose, my cousin, Rose this is Isiah Thomas." Isiah smiled at me and politely said.

"It's nice to meet you Rose," and I was instantly reminded of my little brother Hugo.

"Come with me, to meet Scorpius," I said, on a whim and approached the unmistakable platnium blonde head who was talking to Unice Ollivander and Lysander Scamander.

"Rose!" Scorpius said, "This is Unice and Lysander." He said, pulling me forward. He took Unice's hand and touched it to my cheek, and Unice smiled, though didn't look at me. It didn't take long for me to realise the younger girl was blind.

"This is Molly, my cousin and Isiah Thomas." I provided, the other two were greeted by Lysander first. Then each allowed Unice to touch their face so she could see them. Unice reached out for Isiah but her hand was too high and she ended up running her fingers through his curly hair. The texture brought a smile to her face.

"I'm short," Isiah told her and her smile grew. "Youngest tribute here." He announced.

"I like your hair." Unice told him.

The lunch break was up and Isiah offered to stay with Unice, so Molly came to the magic station with me. Scorpius went to the sword station to spar with Lysander - the boys seemed to get along very well.

It was odd being handed a wand - we were all wizards and witches afterall but it was still strange, wands were revered amongst people in twelve. Death eaters had them, and Tristan Longbottom.

"Wave it." The instructor said and I did, but nothing happened, he then handed me another. "Try this."

"The wand chooses the wizard. You know." Unice called to me, she was only one station over and I smiled at the explination. Molly got her wand before me and was allowed to practice spells. When I finally got mine I was pleased with it, it sent a warm feeling shooting up my arm and into my heart and gold and red sparks shot from the end.

"Come on Rose!" Molly encouraged me and I went to the open spell book on a pedistal.

" _Protego_!" I cast without looking at the book and without even thinking, the shimering blue sheild sprung up in front of me and starteld me so much I dropped the wand.

I'd gained the attention of the whole room - gamemekers included.

"Wow. That was lucky." I said, laughing weakly. Slowly everyone turned back to their work. Molly was giving me a funny look.

"Beginner's luck?" She asked, I nodded.

"Something like that.

It was too hard to use the wand without drawing attention to myself so I just studdied the books. I'd never seen a spell book before. It was very thick and each page had a spell, a description, an illustrated wand movement and the incantation. Except for the last curse - " _Avada Kedavera_?" I asked the instructor. He smiled but said nothing.

" _Avada Kedavera_ _,"_ I muttered the incantation again without actually casting the spell. Below that it read;

 _To use this curse you have to want to win the games._

The page gave me an uneasy feeling, so I shut the book. Perhaps Tristan would tell me what it did. Molly then dragged me to some of the weapons stations. I was pretty poor with all the ranged weapons but managed to get a nod from the instructor at the station that offered up little hand held axes. I also did well on the hand to hand combat station, but I was fighting a very small female instructor and when I'd won my second round I caught Marzell Lesrange looking at me with a mean smile on his face.

I met up with Scorpius at the last station I went to that day - magic again. Tristan told us to practice and I waited with him while he got his wand.

"What was that before?" He asked.

"A sheild charm." I muttered a little annoyed that he was bringing up my mistake, though when he first tried the shield charm too it sprung up even brighter than mine

"Shit," He cursed under his breath, the game makers were looking at him.

"be honest with me Little Red, have you used magic before?" Scorpius asked me under his breath, our heads close with the pretext of pointing out a spell.

"Yes." I answered, and Scorpius nodded.

"The damage is done, let's just show them what we can do?"

I paused, it was a dangerous thing - my mother had already died becasue of Magic and I've no doubt the Capitol will hunt my father for teaching me the tricks, but Scorpius was risking exposing whoever taught him too. I nodded.

" _Stupefy_!" Scorpius led with, I followed with reducto, the body bind and a stunner, hexes, curses, spells and enchantments went flying from our wands - we'd caught the attention of the room but now we were competing between us, Scorpius cast a spell I didn't know, he turned himself into a small silver snake, I did the hardest spell I knew.

" _Expecto Patronum!_ " the silvery otter shot from the end of my wand, flying amongst the heads of the other tributes. The otter diminished, Scorpius turned back into himself with shock on his face, shock was on my own face - I'd never managed a coperoal Patronus before, but Scorpius recovered first, smiled and laughed, took my hand and called a farewell to the other tributes we took the elevator back to our rooms where Tristan was waiting, looking angrier than I'd ever seen him before he slammed his fist on the table, rounding on us a desperate look in his eyes

"What have you _done_?" He asked us, both of us. He was answered by silence

* * *

1\. Marzelle Lestrange and Geena Avery

2\. Robert and Harper Bullstrode

3\. Molly Weasley and Isiah Thomas

4\. Dax Carrow and Eli Travers

5\. Unice Ollivander and Errol Selwyn

6\. Ramsay Shacklebolt and Thera Rowle

7\. Dianne Avery and Jasper Greengrass

8\. Roe Blishwick and Scott Brown

9\. Tyrell Crouch and Esme Tripe

10\. Lysander Scamander and Addison Burke

11\. Cisero Urquart and Eos Peverell

12\. Rose Weasley and Scorpius Malfoy


	6. Meet The Careers

**CHAPTER SIX**

 _Meet the Careers_

* * *

It took Scorious a while to explain to Tristan why he did what he did yesterday. Eventually our mentor calmed down, though not much, apparently, or at least according to him, showing how good we are at magic and showing what spells we know give the others an advantage but also might tempt the Gamemakers to put us in a position where we have to use those skills to survive, and for two kids who didn't use magic everyday that wasn't the best thing to rely on in a choreographed life or death situation.

"Look, the damage was done-" Scorpius began again.

"Okay." Tristan conceded, interrupting Scorpius, apparently not willing to listen to another one of Scorpius' rants. "Just I don't understand why you both didn't tell me you already knew how to do magic?" He asked us. I shurgged, as did Scorpius.

"I've never used a wand before." I told him, it was the truth. Scorpius stared at me in shock, it was making ma a little uncomfortable, actually. Tristan was staring too.

"How-"

"My mother." I answered the question I knew he would ask. It was enough of an answer and they both looked away.

"Treat it as a bad thing." Tristan warned, "Its like a target, the tributes from one, the gamemakers, even those from two and four will come for you in force becasue now they know you're dangerous." Tristan said, "But the damage is done," he repeated. "Scare them."

That was the plan then, to see exactly what we could do on the magic station, upon arriving to the large gymnasium that morning we both went to the magic station, were given our wands and both of us let rip. The dueling dummies were ripped apart by us, I even managed to impress myself.

We certainly got the attention of everyone in the training center, the game makers, the floor staff and the other tributes. The careers were especially intrigued.

Marzell Lestrange actually began a conversation with Scorpius, and distant cousins or no I still refused to actually talk to the large boy - Marzell Lestrange scared me. But I was cornered by Geena Avery, who seemed to think she would gain my favour by insulting those tributes she deemed to be weak.

"By Salazar, I hope I'm the one who gets to kill that blind girl, it would make for a good show, wouldn't it pushing her around a little? Playing with your food before you eat it."

"She's actually a very sweet girl." I retorted, feeling a little queasy at her eager participation in the killing sport. I didn't expect my statement to impress her and I was right - if the disgusted look on her face was anything to go by. "And I think it would be more entertaining if she killed you." I added for good measure, the disgust turned into a sneer, and with that the angry Geena Avery stormed off.

I'd made myself an enemy.

The next tributes I had the _pleasure_ of meeting were the Bulstrode twins, whom seemed to hate each other with a kind of competitive passion. They would go to every station together and try to better each other, and were the only tributes who had to be pulled apart by the floor staff for fighting - with each other.

"I voulenteered to kill her," Robert said about Harper, which put me right off them both from the start, Harper glared at her brother.

"He has no tact," she announced, "We want to make an alliance, girl, with you and the pointy blonde one. You two know your magic stuff, and we have the brute strength."

I looked over at Scorpius who was talking to Marzell still. "Er... I'll think about it?" I offered, She nodded but He didn't seem to like that answer.

The subsequent argument ended up getting violent and the floor staff again dragging the twins off each other. I would have to ask Scorpius how to turn them down gently - I didn't want any more enemies, and those two were right they had brute strength - if not much else. I really didn't fancy being beaten to death by the pair of them.

At lunch I returned to Scorpius, who was unusually quiet, but Isiah and Unice kept me company as well as Lysander, whom I liked very much, after lunch I was again cornered by a career wanting an alliance.

Dax Carrow was the stupidest boy I'd ever spoken to and I told him so in no uncertain terms, so made myself a second enemy, though Dax didn't scare me, he was small and stupid and had no idea how to use magic.

Eli Travers was the most plain girl I'd ever seen. I knew very little of her in fact and couldn't really remember much about her at all. She seemed very meek and mild, and I actually found her company plesant, but I knew she was from a career district, and the tributes from district four were always, always vicious, so I was very suspicious of her, and that made me uneazy.

I'd spoken to them all, all but the terrifying Marzell Lestrange. I didn't hear him approach me, and he said nothing when he did approach me near the very end of the afternoon session. But when he was close he roughly grabbed me and pulled me to the ground, I'd been startled by the action, hurt by the fall, I was pinned under his too-large body. My voice failed, I tried to call out but no sound came out, My arms and legs didn't work so I couldn't even try to fight grabbed my arm, and I could feel a wet, almost tickling sensation. He resisted when the floor staff came to pull him off me, he threw them aside and stood and walked away from me himself. Scorpius pulled me to my feet, I was shaking, flinching away from my district partner and my hand made to rub at my arm where he'd touched me.

I looked down to see exactly what Marzell had done - on my left forearm in black marker that looked sinister and evil on my white skin was scrawled a single ugly word;

" _Mudblood._ _"_


	7. The Training Scores

**CHAPTER SIX**

 _The Training Scores_

* * *

Rose was annoyed. They were all in a room in the training center, yesterday had been the final day of trianing and she'd spent most of it talking to the carrers who seemed intent on hounding her to join their little alliances. Waste of her time, waste of her last few moments. She'd given anything to see her little brother again - or her Dad, she needed him now more than ever actually.

Then there was the incident with Marzell, she'd spent hours in the fancy capitol shower last night trying to scrub the mark off her forearm, the skin was red and raw and sensitive now.

She refused to look in Marzell's direction.

"What are you going to do?" Scorpius asked her again. Rose shrugged, she didn't feel like playing their games today. "Think about it," He told her, she shrugged again.

Another tribute was called into the gym for their private session with the gamemakers.

"I'm nervous." Isiah says loudly to Molly, she ruffles his hair.

"Don't be," She assures him, "You have your plan, follow it and you'll do well."

"Have you decided what you're going to do yet Molly?" Isiah askes her, I find the sound of my older cousins voice was a huge comfort - I had enemies going into this but I had allies, and more importanly I had family.

"I'm going to tell them about the goblin rebellions, My father made me learn it all and I have to use it for something right?" Molly tells him, most of the room start laughing then, but I get the feeling she wasn't joking. She winks at me and I smile at the red head.

"You're not supposed to tell people what you do in there." Dianne Avery mumbles, though it was loud enough for everyone to hear.

"I don't care much," Molly says. I can't help but agree, shortly our deaths will be broadcast to the country like entertainment, we don't have to keep secrets for the capitol. Then Molly's name is called.

"Any relation to Geena?" One of the other tributes asks Dianne and she shakes her head.

"No, her family were apart of the original Death Eaters, before Panem, before the first war even." Dianne said, I suspected her family adopted the pure blood name to keep themselves safe - many families did that in the second war, my father told me. "You two are cousins, aren't you?" She asks then, and it takes me a moment to realise she's talking about Molly and I. I nod.

"Yes, our father's are brothres."

"Named after Molly Weasley wasn't she" Dianne asks me and I nod again.

"Our grandmother."

Then it was Isiah's turn and he was given luck by most other tributes. The room fell silent for a while as the tributes from four were called.

Then Unice went in, Lysander jumped up to help her navigate to the gym.

"I hope Unice is okay." Lysander said then, sitting down once more. Scorpius put a hand on his shoulder. There was a silence then, but soon Unice's district partner just entered the room.

"She'll do fine," Scorpius said, Lysander nodded.

"If she pulls it off -" He began.

"What did she do?" Dianne asks. Scorpius shook his head.

"You're not supposed to tell," I remind her, to which she glares.

Dianne's name was called then. "I'm surprised Marzell didn't go after Molly, yesterday." She says to me before entering the gym.

"I am too, actually," Scorpius says. "I was talking to him. Seemed like he wanted an alliance with us. Told him I'd think about it but I really want to be as far away from that psyco in the arena as possible."

"Because my grandmother killed his great aunt?" I asked then, it was the only reason for Marzell targeting Molly over me I could think of. The others nodded. "None of you knew she carved the word Mudblood into my mother's arm then?" I asked, I supposed it would be a little known fact, my mother always covered her arms to hide the scar.

There was a shocked silence in the room.

Lysander was called then.

Two more until my turn and I still didn't know what I'd be doing.

In my panic it seemed like thr final tributed before me went very quickly, before the gym door opened Scorpius took my hand.

"Good luch Little Red," He said and I smiled, at least I wouldn't have to tell him that I didn't know, still what I was going to do.

I walked into the room and were surprised to see the Gamemakers looking at me with interest, no doubt becasue of the magic display yesterday. The stations were all set up and I walked between them thinking of what to show them. The gamemakers lost intrest.

I picked up my wand, and a can of red paint from the camoflage station. I went to the back wall of the gym, muttering a small apology for Scorpius for doing this before his turn.

With a slashing hex I cut deep wounds into the back wall of the gym. when i was finished I threw the paint, hitting it with a reducto and the word was showered with the bloody colour.

 _MUDBLOOD_

The gamemakers looked angry - I didn't show them much of a skill, just defiance. Then I left, going back to my rooms until tonights live broadcast.

Scorpius looked worried when he entered the room, we had time for lunch before the stylists picked us up to have us ready for the cameras. From the remake center there would be another parade, in pairs we each had a small floating platform, attached by chains to the neck of a half giant who would pull the platforms down to the interview stage where we would be sorted. I knew his name was Rubeus Hagrid and I knew this too was a mockery of the first trip to Hogwarts.

Hagrid pulled the boats toward Capitol square, and as we sailed along on air the interview stage rolled out in front of us.

They often asked a past victor to do the sorting, this year it was Duncan McGonagall, district 8 victor and winner of the 8th games. He held a scroll on the stage, next to a three legged stool with a ratty old hat sat above it - my father told me the hat used to sing.

Marzell was first, a Slytherin, as expected, his district partner was as well, Robert and Harper Bullstrode were both Slytherins, Molly and Isiah were both Gryffindors, Dax and Eli were both Slytherins, Unice and Ramsay and both their district partners were all Ravenclaws. All the tributes from seven and eight except Scott Brown, the boy from eight who was a Gryffindor were all Hufflepuff. Tyrell Crouch from nine was sorted into Ravenclaw and his district partner Esme Tripe was put into Hufflepuff. Lysander surprised us all when he went into Hufflepuff - Hufflepuff house were nutorious for being killed - and Addison Burke his quiet young distirict partner surprised everyone by being sorted into Slytherin - who had the most winners and a reputation for being ruthless. I barely registered the sorting of the tributes from 11, becasue then my name was being called and I walked forward on unsteady knees and sat on the stool. Duncan McGonagall placed the sorting hat on my head and it barely touched my head when it screamed Gryffindor. Scorpius' sorting went the same way, only he was put into Slytherin.

Then they had to sit on the stage, their plain black robes turned to the colour of their houses as the training scores were revealed, Rita Skeeter came onto the stage in her acid green robes and pointy red heels.

"Lovely," She said with a sharp eye over us all, the screens in the square came to life and Marzell's face was shown next to a green 11. The marks were out of 12. Geena and the Bullsrode twins all got 10. Rita Skeeter was prattling on about what amazing scores there were and how she thought the bloodbath this year ought to be exciting. Molly was next, her micture smiling as a 7 appeared on the screen in red, Isiah only got a 5, Dax got 9, Eli a 7, but Unice was scored an 8, and Lysander whooped, and stood from his seat with a happy smile. I know I should have paid attention to the scores, but there were only a few that I really noticed, like Ramsay's 10 and Lysander's 9, or Addison's measly score of 3. Or my own score, of only five, or Scorpius score, which was an 11 and as good as a target on his back, quite possibly put there by my obvious defiance.

* * *

 _Summary;_

 _GRYFFINDOR  
_ _Molly Weasley (7), Isiah Thomas (5), Scott Brown (4), Cisero Urquart (8), Rose Weasley (5)_

 _HUFFLEPUFF  
_ _Dianne Avery (5), Jasper Greengrass (7), Roe Blishwick (6), Esme Tripe (6), Lysander Scamander (9), Eos Peverell (6)_

 _RAVENCLAW  
_ _Unice Ollivander (8), Errol Selwyn (6), Ramsay Shacklebolt (10), Thera Rowle (6), Tyrell Crouch (6), Eli Travers (7)_

 _SLYTHERIN  
_ _Marzelle Lestrange (11), Geena Avery (10), Robert Bullstrode (10), Harper Bullstrode (10), Dax Carrow (9), Scorpius Malfoy (11), Addison Burke (3)_


	8. The Blood Bath

Chapter 8 - The Blood Bath

The morning dawned bright and cold, the streets below us were filled with witches and wizards celebrating the first day of the games, we were sat down for breakfast, where neither Scorpius or I touched our food.

"I know that you both feel sick, but this might be the last decent meal you have… for a long while." Tristan said gently, both Scorpius and I looked up at that and reluctantly started on our meal.

"Do you have tokens?" Tristan asked again, Scorpius held up a shiny green badge with a silver 'P' embossed on it. My father and mother both had a red one. Tristan nodded as Scorpius pinned it to his jacket. I shook my head.

"I forgot." I admitted with a shrug.

"Your father didn't. They got the owl this morning. There was a letter but…"

"I'm not allowed, I know."

Tristan held out to me a leather cord, hanging from which a gold galleon with a hole punched through it dangled. I smiled.

"Thanks dad," I whispered, accepting the token and slinging it around my neck and tucking it into my shirt.

From breakfast to the horseless carriages to the arena went by in a blur, really, all nervous tapping and uncomfortable silence, and all too soon I was being shuffled into a clear glass tube with a floating platform. The door slid shut behind me and the death eater levitated the platform.

The arena was quite dark, misty and the ground looked sludgy, we were in a swamp, in a clearing with dark tangled trees in a circle around the room of requirement.

The room was more like an awning with a vaulted roof and four posts, filled with weapons, food, fresh water, plus a pedestal in the center on which would appear whatever you most desperately needed. Whoever took control of the room usually won the games, but that meant everyone went there first. I number ten etched in fire and floating above the centre appeared, a second later it flicked into a 9, 8, 7, and I wasn't ready for this, 4, 3, 2, 1.

I froze, and I wasn't the only one but as many who stood frozen to their starting platform had jumped forward and sprinted to the room of requirement.

 _Look, going to the centre is very dangerous, if you can grab something, a bag, weapon… yeah it helps but it could cost you your life._

 _So what do we do?_

 _I'll leave it up to you… so think about it, but decide before the end of the countdown._

I turned my back on the room and the fight and ran, tripping and slipping over roots and mossy rocks until the ground firmed up and I could hide in the trees.

I ignored the noises behind me, screaming, mostly.

I walked for hours, the climate in the arena was sticky, swampy with thick old trees with low branches and roots that knotted together making it difficult to navigate, easy to be turned around and hard to tell where one tree ended and another started. The canopy was thick, the heat oppressive and it was exhausting to even breathe.

"I need to find clean water." I muttered to myself, trying to forget about the blood bath, the games, the whole situation, I just needed to survive.

Grimacing, I picked a tree and began to climb, it was both slippery and sharp, splinters embedded themselves in my fingers and hands but I hoisted my head above the canopy.

The sun was setting over the arena, which was absolutely massive, I could see a part of the wall- a huge stone wall that surrounded the whole area cursed with nasty wards to keep us all in. The capitol could control every aspect of the arena. The weather, the animals, they could turn the whole place to a completely flat dessert in a second if they wanted to, but they rarely did things like that. The canopy stretched up to the wall on the left and right, and in front was blocked by a mountain, still covered in the sticky jungle. My best option was to walk downhill or pray for rain.

Then an ear-splitting scream rent the heavy air.

"Help! Please! Anyone!"

I bit my lip, thinking even as I began climbing down the tree, could I trust anyone else? Should I save the girl… if I could or should I leave her to die?

I would save her, I would trust others, I wouldn't let the games change who I was… and I was Rose Weasley, who was here to save my baby cousin Lily.

With renewed purpose and edded on by the cried for help I tried to climb down the tree less carefully than I went up and slipped.

"Shit!"

Only falling a short distance, with a hard thump on the forest floor but my foot got caught and jarred, I was lucky I didn't break it.

The screaming had stopped, I began moving in the direction it had come, slowly, carefully, my ankle sore and the forest floor unforgiving in its slipperyness and soon whimpers and cries could be heard. The ground in front of me gave way to a crevasse, roots dangling up the sides and vines crawling up out of the hole, thick dark green vines, a mass of them which filled the space, a gap only slightly too big to jump but certainly big enough to fall into.

"Help!"

It was Dianne Avery, covered in the vines which were wrapping around her, moving to crush her, she was several meters below me.

"Its devil's snare Dianne, stop struggling and it will let you go!"

The girl's lips were turning blue, the vines tight around her neck, she stopped her weak struggling.

"Just relax," I said, "I'll think of a way to get you out of there." I promised, looking around frantically for a vine that wouldn't kill her like the devils snare.

"Its working," She called up, she sounded exhausted. "Thank you."

I didn't reply to Dianne, I had stopped, staring across the rift in the forest floor. He smiled, an evil smile, looking between me and Dianne.

"Touching," He said, "Helping each other, not in the spirit of the Hunger Games, isn't it?" Marzell asked.

"Please leave us." I begged he laughed.

"No, no, no," Marzell pulled something from his pocket – he had a wand, there was the answer to who controlled the room. Dianne was free from the snare, but still standing on the plant moving slowly and calmly to my side of the rift.

"Crucio!" The spell was cast at Dianne, she fell to her knees, writhing, screaming, the devil's snare grabbed at her again.

"No…" I took a step back, eyes flicking between Marzell and Dianne. He was using the torture curse on her, and the Devil Snare would kill her.

"You know my father was most famous for being one of the wizards who tortured the aurours Frank and Alice Longbottom out of their minds." He announced – I knew that. "Sorry," He said, "She's loud, isn't she? How could you possibly listen with that noise."

He stopped the spell, Dianne was crying, she didn't seem to care much about the devil's snare now, too sore to move, shaking.

"Lumos solem!" The spell produced a beam of sunlight, flashing brightly now that night had failed, the devils snare unwrapped from Dianne and fled from the sunlight.

"Run Rose!" Dianne cried. I was still frozen, I couldn't leave her…

Marzell smiled, "I always wanted to see someone lose their mind," He quickly cast a scilencing charm and the torture curse again. I took another step back – a coward, but I couldn't see both of us coming out of this alive and I didn't want to throw my life away. Dianne was being enveloped by the devils snare again. The torture curse stopped and Marzell turned his wand on me.

I dodged the body bind, hiding behind a tree, I could distract him long enough for Dianne to escape, maybe, but she looked so weak. A red spell grazed my elbow and burned.

"Dianne can you climb?" I called, then realised she was scilenced. I heard a levitation charm – Marzell was coming to this side of the rift I ran, spells chasing me, tree trunks and branches exploding splinters stinging where they hit. I could hear him calling after me, I cursed my ankle praying it held up long enough for me to escape.

Marzell gave up, surely not wanting to wander too far from the room of requirement I waited, for what felt like hours before sneaking back.

Carefully, quietly she approached the rift again her ankle now was red and swollen and throbbing panfully, her insides hurt with the familiar pains of hunger and her mouth felt dry, hands shaking.

"Dianne?" She said, reaching the edge of the hole and looking down. Dianne was shaking, crying, holding a glowing light that was very dim.

"Hang on, I'll help you!" I ran to the nearest tree and pulled vines from it, grabbing three and plaiting them together like my dad used to do my hair for me. I threw the fine into the hole, Dianne grabbed it dropping the dying glowstone and trying to run to the very edge, through the devils snare.

"Just relax," I reminded her, she was screaming as the vines grabbed at her legs, still scilenced, she let go of the vine to try to pry the plant off her. "Dianne stop fighting it," I pleaded, she didn't listen, she was crying. She looked at me, struggling, crying but she didn't recognise me. Marzell had tortured her, silently until she lost her mind, and then left her here to die giving her enough light so the girl who didn't understand where she was or remember why she was there would very slowly be killed by an encroaching devils snare. I went to the edge of the hole and put my hand down, she reached up to me, fingertips touched, the devils snare was wrapping around her chest and arms, neck now, without her relaxing I wouldn't be strong enough to pull her up and she didn't understand my instruction.

My eyes burned with tears as I looked at her, crying, terrified, suffocating face.

"I'm so sorry, I'm so so sorry Dianne."

A cannon sounded, startling me and causing a little scream. I was so sore, exhausted and emotional I just wanted to flop on the ground and go to sleep but Marzell left this as a trap, the cannon would be his signal, he'd be coming back and I needed to be very far away. I turned around and stopped, there, hanging on a tree behind one which had been hit with a blasting curse was a backpack. I grabbed it and donned it, then began walking back though the forest, up hill – away from Marzell but also away from the promise of water.

I stopped an hour later, the moon hung low in the sky, it must have been the early hours of the morning now, I found a hollow in a tree, did my best to disguise myself with foliage, dirt and bark then curled up in the hollow, covered myself up and fell asleep crying.

BANG.

I startled awake.

BANG.

I jumped again, looking around.

BANG.

I scrambled up the tree I slept in, fighting through the foliage and sharp little sticks.

BANG.

Pushing aside a branch, revealing the early morning sky and the fiery words burned there.

BANG.

Another name appeared.

BANG.

And another.

BANG.

All beneath the heading; 'Honour the Fallen'

BANG.

 _Jasper Greengrass_

 _Roe Blishwick_

 _Esme Tripe_

 _Scott Brown_

 _Cisero Urquart_

 _Errol Selwyn_

 _Dax Carrow_

 _Dianne Avery_

The list of those who had died yesterday. That made it six o'clock in the morning, mandatory viewing for those in the districts where the deaths were replayed before the highlight reel began – like the muggle news, my mother had compared it to. Then the games would be broadcast live across the nation all day and night.

My shoulders slumped, my stomach grumbled angrily at me and I very carefully climbed back to the ground and to the backpack I had gotten from Dianne.

There was not much in it, a small toy, which I assumed was Dianne's token, a muggle first aid kit, some dried rations and a bottle of water.

But what if Marzell was setting another trap. It made sense, to poison the food and water whoever came across Dianne would die in the devils snare trying to help the poor girl or die because they stole her supplies. She was so thirsty, and so hungry though… I opened the water bottle, I had to take the risk… then nearly dropped it when my chest grew painfully hot.

Fishing around in my shirt I brought out the token which was glowing, looking at it closely I noticed the serial number spelled out the word ' _poison'._

Defeated, my shoulders slumped and I recapped the water bottle, I needed to find water, but didn't feel as though I had the strength to stand up. Everything was fuzzy and I couldn't really tell if the fuzziness was coming from my thoughts or my eyes. Blackness invaded the very edges of my vision and a flash of red was the last thing I remember seeing until I was waking up to the feeling of cool, clean water sliding down my throat.


End file.
